Why 112?
As European citizens are increasingly travelling to other countries, for holidays, business or pleasure, there is a need for a single number, identical across the European Union (EU), to call in an emergency. Instead of having to remember several different numbers, citizens now need only one, wherever they go.
What happens when you call 112?
People calling 112 are connected to an operator. Depending on the national civil protection services, the operator will either deal with the request directly or transfer it to one of the emergency services(ambulance, ... continua

Fifty years ago when the Common Market was born, what people wanted most was peace and prosperity for Europe. Caring for the enviroment didn't feature in the founding Treaty of Rome. Yet enviromental problems were not far away.
Europe's love affair with the car was
Interviews:Jan van den Heuvel: Rijmond Enviromental Protection Agency.
Hans Egli: Local Resident.
Bill Duncan : Assurre.
Tony Musu: Chemicals Expert - Europe Trade Union Institute.
Tony Long: WWF.
Stavros Dimas: EU Envirometn Commissioner.
José Manual Barroso: European Comission President.
Paul ... continua

For centuries, the ocean has been part of our lives. It is a source of food, a means of transport, a place to relax or to work.
But today, the marine environment is under pressure: shipping is growing, the risk of pollution is increasing, tourism is expanding. Climate change is worsening storms and erosion.
Interviews:Josè Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission
John Harrison, Commissioning engineer, Elsam-Vestas
Captain Roy Stanbrook, Deputy Harbour Master
Tiedo Vellinga, Director of spatial planning, Maasvlakte 2
Alderman Van Sluis, Vice-Mayor of ... continua

Today, 1st December 2006, is the nineteenth World Aids Day. Some alarming data shows that in certain countries the rate of infections, which in the past were stable or in decline, are now increasing. According to sources at UNAIDS, in 2006 more than 4 million new people have been infected. In Central and Eastern Europe alone more than 740,000 individuals live with the disease. Research on this terrible virus intensifies. In Europe, and notably with the support of the European institutions, numerous laboratories test new treatments and vaccines. Carmen, 25 years ... continua

With more and more people travelling within the EU, what happens if a European citizen needs healthcare in another Member State, and especially, what about the cost?
The European Health Insurance Card covers the costs if you fall ill during a trip in another EU country. Costs are also covered for patients who have been authorized by their national health system to go toanother Member State for medical treatments. But what happens if the authorization is not granted?
Interviews:Nick Fahy, European Commission DG Health and Consumer Protection
Nicolas Decker
Monique ... continua

After the Second World War, Europe experienced an extraordinary baby boom that resulted in a substantial increase in the birth rate. The baby boomers are now reaching retirement age and European society is suddenly faced with the ageing of its population. People aged 65 and older will soon make up one third of the population. The European Commission therefore considers it essential to create the conditions enabling these baby boomers to stay in work longer and giving them the possibility to stay active members of society. Download subtitles:

As the summer holidays approach a new European regulation will guarantee more rights for both the disabled and people with reduced mobility when they travel by air. Nearly one in five Europeans can require assistance for travelling or communicating.
From 26 July 2008, these people will have the right to assistance and certain services in all European Union airports, as well as on board aircraft operating throughout European territory.
Under the new regulation the following changes must be made:
- Refusing reservation or boarding on the grounds of a disability or a ... continua

There are 53.000 birds on this Limburg chicken farm in north-west Belgium Here,there are no cages, the chickens are free to come and go as they wish to lay their 50,000 eggs a day in the best possible conditions. Running the chicken farm are Hilde Hendricks Verbeek and her husband. Three years ago the poultry on the farm, located in an area affected by bird flu was totally destroyed.
Interviews:
Hilde Hendrikx-Verbeek, chicken farmerBernard Van Goethem, European Commission Animal HealthBernard Gauthier, vetBernard Hennebert, breederSophie Loos , chicken ... continua

Le produit intérieur brut, qui mesure la valeur desbiens et des services produits ou fournis au cours d’une année donnée, estla mesure la mieux éprouvée des performances économiques dans le monde. Pourbeaucoup, une augmentation de la croissance économique - telle que mesuréepar le PIB - traduit une augmentation du niveau de vie et du bien-être.
Toutefois, ainsi que l’a réalisé l’un des fondateurs duconcept du PIB – le Prix Nobel et économiste Simon Kuznets –, le PIB a desérieuses limites en tant qu’indicateur du développement humain. ... continua

Several measures to prevent, detect or contain the H5N1 virus in the EU have managed to stop the virus from spreading up to now. The future evolution of the situation is difficult to foresee because the H5N1 virus is stillpresent in many countries, for example in Asia. The European Commission and the Member States constantly review the state of the disease outbreaks inthe world and adapt the surveillance and the control measures accordingly.We have visited a Hungarian farm which was the departure point for an outbreak of avian flu that spread to 28 other Hungarian ... continua